09/17/2024
From our Ryueiryu Grandfather
Translation by Scot Mertz Dec 1, 2021
From Weekly Okinawa Karate Issue 242 (2021年11月21日)
Kenko Nakaima 1911-1989, Nicho K**a (Double K**a)
Ryueiryu’s K**a was developed independently in the Ryukyu Kingdom during the time of the Sapposhi. The technique is unique to the Ryukyu’s because in mainland Japan the k**a was often used holding in one hand and holding a chain with the other. The Kume village method was utilizing more of a standard style farming k**a from China. Nakaima Kenri brought back such items during his travels in China and his time studying abroad.
Mr Nakaima Kenko’s grandfather was Nakaima Kenri, he is the man who is responsible for the foundations of the Ryueiryu system. Kenri left to study in China at the age of 19 under the request of Liu Long Gong, and had the privilege of training with with many top instructors at the Qing Dynasty Military Officer Training Center in Beijing where he focused on learning military tactics and astrology. He graduated when he was 22 years old. At the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, there was a time where no one could admit that they learned martial arts in China. At the same time, Chinese Martial Arts, which tended to be very secretive, did not often take on new disciples or admit they were running a martial arts school. They did this to keep their art out of the public eye. This training was only passed from Nakaima Kenri to his son Nakaima Kenchu. Kenchu was often called “K**a Nakaima” and began training as soon as he was able to walk. This training from Kenchu was passed down to his son Nakaima Kenko and both Kenchu and Kenko taught the 4th generation heir Nakaima Kenji.
Many have left behind a type of guardian for a style of martial arts. Kenko sensei would often say “Being a martial artist should start with being a good person.” Many people saw the martial arts as being some type of murderous art, they would see practitioners using a k**a or a bo, so Kenko stated once in an interview that “Martial Arts are for ending an opponent’s life, because of this a martial artist should be raised with morals so they always walk the path of humanity and they should become not only a martial artist but a person who understand the true philosophy of the arts.” Kenko sensei would often perform demonstrations with people like Hohan Soken, Chinen, and Kyan at the Okinawa Kobudo Presentation Tournaments.
Before these performances Kenko sensei would say that he chose the k**a from the viewpoint of “this weapon is really valuable, not because it is old, but because it’s useful”, and he was often eager to compare his own technique against other people performing. While Kenko sensei would do demonstrations he didn’t open up his own dojo until 1968 and that is when he started accepting his first students. Many of his students went on to win significant tournaments, like the world karate championships 3 times in a row and the World Cup, etc.
Sakumoto sensei of the Ryueiryu Ryuhokai became a disciple of Kenko sensei when he was the principal of the Yagaji Elementary School recounts that when he first started training under Kenko sensei that karate was considered a bit taboo. He heard a story of someone who was practicing a unique Karate Kobujutsu system in Nago. When he initially went to try to study, Kenko sensei sent Sakumoto sensei away. Only later Kenko sensei watched what Mr. Sakumoto was doing and finally decided to accept him as a disciple. Sakumoto sensei remembers watching Kenko sensei with his k**a and thinking that the way it was used, where it did not wrap around his body, could be something extremely useful. Also the zigzag movement used were completely unique characteristic to this school.
